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About Rubin Kazan

FC Rubin Kazan (, Futbolny klub Rubin Kazan'; , ) is a Russian association football club based in the city of Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan). Rubin won the Russian Premier League championship in Russian Premier League 2008 and Russian Premier League 2009.

History

FC Rubin Kazan was previously called "Iskra" from 1958 to 1964, and then "Rubin-TAN" from 1992 to 1993.

Having never played in the Soviet Top League, the football club joined the Russian First Division in 1992 and fell to the Russian Second Division in 1994. The mayor of Kazan at the time, Kamil Iskhakov, purchased the team in 1996. Rubin won the Second Division in 1997 and was promoted back to the First Division the following season. The next four seasons, the team consistently finished above eighth place. Finally winning the title in 2002, Rubin was promoted to the Russian Premier League for the first time in 2003. Rubin finished third in its debut season to qualify for the UEFA Cup. The team faced a temporary setback in the 2004 campaign finishing in tenth place, but 2005 saw them finish fourth, again qualifying for the team for the UEFA Cup.

Recovering lost ground (1996-2002)

The turning point in the modern history of Rubin Kazan came in 1996, when the patron of the club, Kamil Iskhakrov, became the mayor of Kazan, and helped to improve the financial health of the club. In addition, he set up a two-part goal for the club: to first advance to the first league, and then to the Premier League. With the club finances in order, Rubin Kazan were able to prepare for the season under more relaxed circumstances. As head coach, the experienced Igor Volchok was hired; he too devoted himself to the goal set out by Iskharov. Eighteen new players came to Rubin Kazan, including some who had played for the club previously: Sergey Moiseyev, Rashid Zainutdinov, and Oleg Mironov. In addition, two skilled forwards joined the proceedings: Vladimir Pantyushenko and Rustam Zabirov. The result was that Rubin Kazan finished in sixth place in 1996.

In the following year, 1997, the goal to reach the first league became more complicated through the fact that, according to the rules, only one club from the central zone of the second league could qualify. For this year, Rubin Kazin was strengthened by the return of some of its best players: Sergei Kharlamov, Rustem Bulatov, Airat Ahmetgaliev, Rustem Khuzin. Valery Aleskarov from Nizhnekamsk performed duties as goalkeeper, and Andrey Knyazev from Magnitogorsk played at the top. Having taken the lead in their zone after the third round, the club went on to soldify its position and were actually able to finish first, scoring 102 points out of 120 possible. Thus, the goal of returning the club to the first division was fulfilled. Furthermore, adding to the success of the club in this season, Rubin Kazan managed to win 13 games in a row. Andrey Knyazev was the best scorer of the season, scoring 30 goals (25 of them in the championship). The 1997 season is also notable for Rubin Kazan in that it was the first time in 22 years that the club had a reserve team.

Rubin Kazan went on to excel in the Cup of Russia in 1997/98. First, they beat Fakel Saratov, then Lokomotive Nizhniy Novgorod, and then Arsenal from Tula, Russia. In the game against Tula, a goal by Airat Ahmetgaliev became decisive, as it was scored only two minutes before the end of the match, delighting the 15,000 fans in the Tsentralny stadium. Later in 1998, Volchok retired as head coach, and was replaced by Alexander Sergeyevich Irkhin, although he would only last for the remainder of the season. In the first division championship of this year, Rubin Kazan finished in 7th place.

In December 1998, one of Russia's most acclaimed coaches, Pavel Sadyrin took over training duties from Irkhin. He too, however, would only stay for one contract year, enjoying little success with Rubin Kazan, which again finished in 7th place in the 1999 season. In order to fulfil with ambition of playing in the top division of the Russianc championship, Victor Petrovich Antihovich was hired for the 2000 season. At this point, fifteen players left the team, four of which moved into top division clubs: Okroshidze, Bulatov, and Lysenko transferred to CSKA Sennikov, while Khuzin went to Amkar Perm. During the 2000 season, Saratov "Sokol" was the clear favorite for the first place, while Rubin Kazin struggled with Torpedo-ZIL for the second qualifying slot to the top division. In a dramatic meeting at the end of the season, Kazan was in third place, behind Torpedo by only two points.

The 2001 season did not begin well for Rubin Kazan. As a consequence, there was another change of coaches, as Antihovic was replaced by Kurban Bekievich Berdiyev from Smolensk Kristall. Under his leadership, the club finished the season in 8th place. In the following year, a number of qualified players with experience from the top division were invited to the club: David Chaladze, Gennady Semin, Michail Sinev, and Andrei Konovalov. Overall, the season was a great success, with the club winning 22 of 34 games, and only suffering six defeats. Striker David Chaladze tied with Vyacheslav Kamoltsevym for the title of best scorer; both scored 20 goals. Chaladze became the third player in the club's history to scoring four goals in one game, in the match against Krasnoyarsk Metallurg.

2003–2005

2003 saw great changes in Rubin Kazan, as a result of the arrival of a large number of foreign players, including MacBeth Sibaya, Pape Maguette Kebe, Andrés Scotti, Tomáš Čížek, and Jiří Novotný (footballer). The season began with a defeat against PFC CSKA Moscow. This was followed by the team's first victory in a difficult game against Torpedo-Metallurg. Victories at home over FC Torpedo Moscow (3:1) and FC Spartak Moscow (1:0) pulled the club up to a mid-table position. This was followed by 10 matches without defeat, which took Kazan to second place. Fortune changed quickly when a serious injury to goalkeeper Sergei Kozko led to a losing streak. After a home defeat to FC Zenit Saint Petersburg, Rubin dropped to fifth place. Winning the last 3 games of the season — against FC Krylia Sovetov Samara, FC Torpedo-ZIL Moscow and reigning champions PFC CSKA Moscow — Rubin Kazan unexpectedly snatched third place.

In 2004 Rubin began on an optimistic note. Almost nobody left the team, and incoming transfers looked promising. From SK Slavia Prague came Adam Petrouš and midfielder Richard Dostálek. In addition, Alejandro Damián Domínguez joined from Club Atlético River Plate. Rubin signed experienced goalkeeper Valeri Chizhov from FC Saturn Moscow Oblast (1946-2011) and Marat Makhmutov from FC Torpedo Moscow.

The first victory in the 2005 season came only in the 8-th round over Spartak (2:0). It allowed Rubin to leave the last place. Then Kazan managed to climb in the standings, but 7 games without a win once again led Rubin in the danger zone, out of which the team managed to climp only at a finish of the season. Tenth place, of course, was seen as a failure after the excellent season-2003. The UEFA Cup ended in the third round, after an 2:0 away victory Rubin lost their home match 0:3.

2006–2010

Year 2006, Rubin met with the new president. In the autumn of 2005, the head of the club became Alexander P. Gusev, who changed Kamil Iskhakov. The team got a task in the championship of Russia to take place which will again allow it to take part in European cup competitions. In August Rubin the second time in its history played in UEFA Cup. In the second qualifying round Kazan easily passed Belarusian BATE (3:0 at home and 2:0 away). The next stage Kazan lost to Parma from Italy (both matches 0:1). Russian Championship Rubin finished on fifth position, which allowed it to play next season in Intertoto Cup.In the season-2007, again there was a major refurbishment of the team. Rubin filled up a whole group of players, but only some of them remained in the team next season, 2008. All because of the failure of performance of the team: 10-th position in the Russian Premier League and the defeat in UEFA Intertoto Cup from old rivals FC Rapid Bucureşti. The season was marred by the death of defender Lenar Gilmullin. Lenar was the only pupil of Rubin, participating at the time for the first team.In 2008, Rubin won the league championship to qualify for the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League Group stage, making them the easternmost team to play in the competition. Their championship season began with a league record seven consecutive wins, including victories against defending champions Zenit Saint Petersburg. Rubin clinched its first championship in club history and became only the third club from outside Moscow to win the Russian Premier League (after Spartak-Alania Vladikavkaz and Zenit St Petersburg).

On 20 October 2009, Rubin recorded a shock win over FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League at Camp Nou. This was followed by a 0–0 draw at home two weeks later. On 21 November 2009, Rubin secured a 0–0 draw against Zenit St Petersburg to win the Russian Premier League championship for the second season in a row.

In 2010 Rubin won the 2010 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup, becoming the first Russian team since 2005 to win that title. In the final Rubin had beaten FC Aktobe 5–2.

2011

The first game of the season, Rubin held under the League of Europe. Rival was the Dutch Twente. The final score was 0:2 in favor of the Dutch. In the next match in Enschede, was recorded by 2:2. As part of Rubin's goals noted Christian Noboa and Cristian Ansaldi

The first match of the championship Rubin held in Krasnodar vs. FC Kuban Krasnodar and won 2:0. Goals were scored by Alan Kasaev and Christian Noboa. The second round was held in Kazan Terek Grozny against. By the score 2:0 in favor of Ruby. Goals: Gökdeniz Karadeniz and Christian Noboa. In the third round in Makhachkala Rubin lost to local Anji. In the fourth round of a draw in a match against Spartak Nalchik. In the fifth round – a major defeat by PFC CSKA Moscow 2:0. The sixth round of Rubin played against Amkar Perm, by the score of 1:1. The only goal scored by Alexander Ryazantsev. A Perm inhabitants helped Captain Rubin Roman Sharonov, cut the ball into his own net. In the seventh round of Rubin in Samara, Russia playing against FC Krylia Sovetov Samara, by the score 2:2. In the eighth round, took home the Premier League newcomers FC Krasnodar, by the score of 2:1 in favor of Kazan: two goals for Rubin scored Gökdeniz Karadeniz, while Roman Sharonov again scored an own goal.

Transfer fraud incident

In September 2009, Rubin were the unknowing participants in a bizarre transfer saga involving four Levski Sofia players (Zhivko Milanov, Youssef Rabeh, Darko Tasevski and Zé Soares). The Bulgarian champions received a fax, supposedly from the Kazan team, offering to buy the footballers. The quoted sum was Euro7 million. On 20 September 2009, the four players, accompanied by a Levski representative, travelled to Moscow to undergo a medical examination, but the deal fell through, as the phony Rubin representative offered lower salaries than those originally agreed. Official Rubin representatives denied any knowledge of the whole affair, maintaining that they knew nothing about the players in question. It turned out that Levski had fallen victims to fraudsters. It is thought that the incident was masterminded to defraud bookmakers by placing large bets against Levski in their derby match against city rivals CSKA Sofia.

For recent transfers, see List of Russian football transfers winter 2011–12.

Reserves

as registered with the Premier League and UEFA. The players are eligible to play for the main squad.

Rivalries

Historically, Rubin has 3 strong rivalries accompanied with fans conflicts:- against FC Krylia Sovetov Samara club from neighbouring city of Samara, Russia.Rivalry is called "Volga Derby".- against FC KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny club, based in Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan.Rivalry is called "Tatarstan Derby".- against FC Amkar Perm club from neighbouring city of Perm.

Stadium

The main home ground of the Rubin is Central Stadium (Kazan), capacity 30,133. The stadium is situated in Kazan. The home ground of the youth squad is Rubin Stadium (capacity 10,000), which is situated on the north of the city. Also, New Rubin Kazan Stadium with capacity 45,000 is under construction and has to be ready in 2012.